57 mln euro funds from EU Commission for Romania’s broadband infrastructure

The European Commission supports Romania’s broadband development, releasing 57.1 million euro funds for boosting coverage in disadvantaged areas, investment run under the Ro-NET project and which totally requires some 69 million euro. The co-financing will be provided through the European regional development fund under the “Increase of economic competitiveness” programme, the “ICT for private and public sectors” priority axis, reads a release of the Commission.

The Ro-NET project has been launched to build up broadband infrastructure in areas still uncovered. The 3,265 km broadband network will increase coverage to additional 783 out of 2,268 areas which do not have access to high-speed Internet, thus reducing the digital gap between urban and rural areas and enabling about 130,000 households with some 400,000 inhabitants, 8,500 companies and 2,800 public institutions to get access to broadband connections.

Expected to be implemented by the end of 2015, the project will develop the existing telecommunications infrastructure of operators in the concerned regions and will provide companies or consumers non-discriminatory open access to service providers.

“Such projects are designed to create better framework conditions for the business environment and citizens, and enable disadvantaged regions in Romania to benefit from the opportunities offered by the digital economy. This is a perfect example of how cohesion policy can contribute directly to achieve the goals set out in the EU’s agenda for economic growth – “Europe 2020”, and to regional economic development”, commented Johannes Hahn, the EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, who signed the co-financing decision.

The structural funds allocated to the Ro-NET project are included in the multiannual financial framework 2007-2013 which budgeted EU funds of nearly 20 billion euro for Romania. For the following framework, 2014-2020, Romania has been allotted almost 23 billion euro, based on current prices.